The present invention relates to printers. More particularly, the invention relates to printers useful for both monochromatic and multi-color printing and to an ink ribbon cartridge holder for use in such printers.
In known printers, provision is made only for printing with either multi-color ribbons or ribbons of only one color. That is, monochromatic printers are not capable of driving a multi-color ink ribbon cartridge to permit use of the printer for multi-color printing. Also, known multi-color printers do not properly provide monochromatic printing even when a monochromatic ink ribbon cartridge is loaded. Thus, each printer has been specifically intended to be used for monochromatic or for color printing, and no printer has provided both.
The color selecting mechanism of a known multi-color printer is shown in FIG. 15. In the printer of FIG. 15, a color-selecting motor 81 is located under the printer's paper guide 88. A motor 81 drives a barrel cam 82 and power therefrom is transmitted to one end of an oscillating lever 83. The other end of lever 83 moves vertically a cartridge holder 84 which carries an ink ribbon cartridge 85 to position that portion of a color ribbon (not shown) which has ink of a desired color in front of platen 87 for printing. Motor 81, together with other parts, is secured to the mechanism and neither the motor nor the driving unit, which includes the motor and its peripherals, can be removed easily by the user.
Further, as mentioned above, a monochromatic printer of known type cannot be easily changed into a multi-color printer. Generally, therefore, if the purchaser of a monochrome printer comes to need multi-color printing, he must buy still another printer.
Also, in known color printers accurate matching of the upper and the lower positions of the ink ribbon cartridge is performed by fine adjustment of an adjusting member which is attached to the print head carriage. Since the print head carriage is subject to vibration and to external shock, any set value is subject to change as the machine is used and is, therefore, unstable, with the result that the ink ribbon cartridge will often be incorrectly positioned.